, 1887-11-30

New York. Nov. 29.-Johann Most
testified in his own behalf this morning.
He denied hat he threatened the execu-
toner Of the anarchists in Chicago or any
one else, He addressed his hearers at
koemer's hall meeting as''tellow citizens
aud not anarchists" HIS speech, he
said, lacked the threats and violent Ian
Puage which he is charged with having
uttered. On the cry OF revenge being
uttered In the audience, he went on. Il
said not now The capitalists are arrayed
against us. We are here to .ccuse and [
accuse Grinnell, Gary and the judges of
murder"
He had described Powderly as an in
stru in the execution by not taking
sides with the condemned men. He was
not sure that he said he would give ten
years of his life to know the hangman.
and that he would ~strangle him. He had
never SAID that for every man killed in
Chicago five hundred would be
slaughtered.
Most said he was a communistic an
archlSt, and assumed the oratorical style
which had distinguished the first halt of
his direct testimony. When Mr.. Nicoll,
on cross examination, asked him to state
his views, Most said: I'VE do not fight
against any particular government. We
do not especially fight the government Of
the United States. We are opposed to
the government as such. We think the
power held by the government Should he
abolished.
Most said the ruling classes were in
rebellion. and it was possible that even
would be taken away. His motto was:
ssE1tnatinn fNr Arrop o--ou.
ton to put down the capitalistic class"
class will give up whatthev have peaceablv.
There will be fierce fighting on both
Sides"
Bombs and dynamite?" asked Mr..
Nicoll.
Yes; on both sides"
Your idea Is to conquer peaceably if
you can, by force if you must
.Tuat is history. We believe force
will be necessary in time
Most said he was imprisoned for treason
in Austria in 1869, and again in 1870
He was imprisoned in Germany IN 1872
tor calling the emperor a s%laughterer, and
sentenced again for a speech made IN
Berlin in 1881. He was sentenced in
England to eighteen months imprison
ment for applauding the murder of the
car.
Witness grew greatly excited when
these questions were asked and declined
to answer. He SAID vehemently: "What
have they to do with my speech at Kra
mer's hall?' But the judge in each case
allowed the question.
The prosecution offered in evidence the
previous indictment of Most aud the re-
cord of the trial and conviction to show
that his book on the art of revolutionary
warfare was not introduced in the evi
dence on Most's trial. This ended the
evidence and the arguments of counsel
followed, occupying two hours.
Judge Cowing, in his charge to the
jury said that Most was not to be tried for
his past life, but for his speech at Krae
mer's hall. Our love of Tree speech and
the freedom of the press" he continued,
has made us do away with many restric
tons. Free speech does not mean that
an individual has the right to SANDER his
neighbOr or to incite TO riot. We do not
tolerate license, we encourage freedom.
We marvel that in this country where
everyone is 50 free that there should be
such men as anarchists, and ask what
more do they want. Revelations have
come from injustice, but never from Jus
tice.
Alter going over the testimony care
fully he said he failed TO find anything in
the speech of Most as he gave it at the
trial that came within the statute. The
jury went out at $50 o'clock.
At 10 O'Clock the jury returned into
court and rendered a verdict of guilty.
Monday mex was fixed to hear the argu-
ments on the motion for a ne trial.